Best Alternative Rock Record
The Beths – Straight Line Was a Lie (ANTI-)
Geese – Getting Killed (Partisan Records)
Nilufer Yanya – Dancing Shoes (Ninja Tune)
Nourished By Time – The Passionate Ones (XL Recordings)
Water From Your Eyes – It’s a Beautiful Place (Matador Records)
Best American Roots Record
Amanda Shires – Nobody’s Girl (ATO Records)
Greg Freeman – Burnover (Transgressive Records / Canvasback)
Hannah Cohen – Earthstar Mountain (Congrats Records)
Hayden Pedigo – I’ll Be Waving as You Drive Away (Mexican Summer)
Mon Rovîa – “Heavy Foot” (Nettwerk Music Group)
Neko Case – Neon Grey Midnight Green (ANTI-)
Valerie June – Owls, Omens, and Oracles (Concord Records)
Best Blues Record
Antone’s 50th Allstars – The Last Real Texas Blues Album (New West Records)
Galactic & Irma Thomas – Audience With the Queen (Tchoup-zilla Records)
Maria Muldaur – One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria Spivey (Nola Blue Records)
Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’ – Room on the Porch (Concord Records)
Tedeschi Trucks Band and Leon Russell – Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited Live at LOCKN’ (Fantasy Records)
Best Classical Record
Kara-Lis Coverdale – A Series of Actions in a Sphere of Forever (Smalltown Supersound)
Lyra Pramuk – Hymnal (7K!)
Theo Hoffman – Schubert Beatles (NYFOS Records)
Tiffany Poon – Nature (Pentatone)
Will Liverman – The Dunbar/Moore Sessions, Vol. II (Lexicon Classics)
Best Country Record
Alison Krauss & Union Station – “Richmond on the James” (Down The Road Records)
Margo Price – Hard Headed Woman (Loma Vista Recordings)
Shaboozey – “Good News” (American Dogwood / EMPIRE)
Waylon Jennings – Songbird (Son of Jessi)
Zach Top – Ain’t In It for My Health (Leo33 / Firebird Music)
Best Dance Record
Danny Brown – Stardust (Warp Records)
Fcukers – “I Like It Like That” (Ninja Tune)
Gelli Haha – Switcheroo (Innovative Leisure)
Sextile – yes, please. (Sacred Bones Records)
Shygirl – Club Shy Room 2 (Because Music)
Best Electronic Record
Ela Minus – DÍA (Domino)
Helado Negro – The Last Sound on Earth (Big Dada / Ninja Tune)
Oklou – choke enough (True Panther Records)
Oneohtrix Point Never – Tranquilizer (Warp Records)
Sudan Archives – THE BPM (Stones Throw Records)
Best Folk Record
Folk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be a Good Time (Jagjaguwar)
Jason Isbell – Foxes in the Snow (Southeastern Records)
Joanne Robertson – Blurrr (AD 93)
Madi Diaz – Fatal Optimist (ANTI-)
S.G. Goodman – Planting by the Signs (Slough Water Records)
Best Global Record
Femi Kuti – Journey Through Life (Partisan Records)
Lido Pimienta – La Belleza (ANTI-)
Mdou Moctar – Tears of Injustice (Matador Records)
Mulatu Astatke – Mulatu Plays Mulatu (Strut Records)
Pachyman – Another Place (ATO Records)
Best Heavy Record
The Callous Daoboys – I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven (MNRK Music Group)
Coheed and Cambria – The Father of Make Believe (Coheed and Cambria)
Die Spitz – Something to Consume (Third Man Records)
DRAIN – …IS YOUR FRIEND (Epitaph)
Model/Actriz – Pirouette (True Panther Records)
They Are Gutting a Body of Water – LOTTO (ATO Records)
YHWH Nailgun – 45 Pounds (AD 93)
Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record
Aesop Rock – Black Hole Superette (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
billy woods – GOLLIWOG (Backwoodz Studioz/Rhymesayers Entertainment)
Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out (Clipse, under exclusive license to Roc Nation Distribution)
Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – Alfredo 2 (ESGN LLC)
Jim Legxacy – black british music (2025) (XL Recordings)
John Glacier – Like a Ribbon (Young)
Shygirl – “SLIME is BESTIE” (ft. JT and Sega Bodega) (Because Music)
Best Jazz Record
Chick Corea, Christian McBride + Brian Blade – Trilogy 3 (Candid Records)
James Brandon Lewis – Apple Cores (ANTI-)
Kassa Overall – CREAM (Warp Records)
Ledisi – For Dinah (Candid Records)
Marshall Allen – New Dawn (Mexican Summer)
Mei Semones – Animaru (Bayonet Records)
Robert Glasper – Keys to the City Volume One (Loma Vista Recordings)
Sullivan Fortner – Southern Nights (Artwork)
Best Latin Record
Adrian Quesada – Boleros Psicodélicos II (ATO Records)
Arca – “Sola” (XL Recordings)
Buscabulla – Se Amaba Así (Domino)
Juan Wauters – MVD LUV (Captured Tracks)
Lido Pimienta – La Belleza (ANTI-)
Rubio – “Voy Creciendo” (FAMA Collective)
Sessa – Pequena Vertigem de Amor (Mexican Summer)
Best Pop Record
David Byrne – Who Is the Sky? (Matador Records)
King Princess – Girl Violence (section 1)
Lily Allen – West End Girl (BMG)
Oklou – choke enough (True Panther Records)
Perfume Genius – Glory (Matador Records)
Robyn – “Dopamine” (Young)
Best Punk Record
Joyce Manor – “Well, Whatever It Was” (Epitaph)
Lambrini Girls – Who Let the Dogs Out (City Slang)
Laura Jane Grace – Adventure Club (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
Scowl – Are We All Angels (Dead Oceans)
Snooper – Worldwide (Third Man Records)
Upchuck – I’m Nice Now (Domino)
Best R&B Record
Dawn Richard – “A Flex” (Merge Records)
keiyaA – hooke’s law (XL Recordings)
Kelela – In the Blue Light (Warp Records)
NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge) – “Everybody Gets Down” (Stones Throw Records)
Thundercat – “Children of the Baked Potato” (feat. Remi Wolf) (Brainfeeder)
Yaya Bey – do it afraid (drink sum wtr)
Best Rock Record
Blondshell – If You Asked for a Picture (Partisan Records)
Fontaines D.C.- “It’s Amazing To Be Young” (XL Recordings)
Hayley Williams – Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party (Post Atlantic)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Phantom Island (p(doom) records)
Momma – Welcome to My Blue Sky (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
Rocket – R Is for Rocket (Transgressive Records / Canvasback)
Wednesday – Bleeds (Dead Oceans)
Best Singer Songwriter Record
Alice Phoebe Lou – Oblivion (Nettwerk Music Group)
Annahstasia – Tether (drink sum wtr)
Ben Kweller – Cover the Mirrors (The Noise Company)
Ichiko Aoba – Luminescent Creatures (Psychic Hotline)
Jason Isbell – “Crimson and Clay” (Southeastern Records)
Madi Diaz – Fatal Optimist (ANTI-)
Mei Semones – Animaru (Bayonet Records)
Best Soul/Funk Record
The Altons – Heartache in Room 14 (Daptone Records)
Annie and the Caldwells – Can’t Lose My (Soul) (Luaka Bop)
Curtis Harding – Departures & Arrivals: Adventures of Captain Curt (ANTI-)
Durand Jones & The Indications – Flowers (Dead Oceans)
Kokoroko – Tuff Times Never Last (Brownswood Recordings)
Mavis Staples – Sad and Beautiful World (ANTI-)
Say She She – Cut & Rewind (drink sum wtr)
Sly & the Family Stone – The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967 (High Moon Records)
Best Spiritual Record
Alexxander – LLORÓN (Reach Records)
Ami Taf Ra – The Prophet and The Madman (Brainfeeder)
Amina Claudine Myers – Solace of the Mind (Red Hook Records)
Chandrika Tandon – Soul Ecstasy (Soul Chants Music)
Lecrae – Reconstruction (Reach Records)
Lil Jon, Kabir Sehgal – Remix Meditation (Tiger Turn)
Parchman Prison Prayer – Another Mississippi Sunday Morning (Glitterbeat Records)
Robert Finley – Hallelujah! Don’t Let the Devil Fool Ya (Easy Eye Sound)
